Nidderdale
Encyclopedia
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
(although outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park) in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is the upper valley of the River Nidd
River Nidd
The River Nidd is a tributary of the River Ouse in the English county of North Yorkshire. In its first few miles it is dammed three times to create Angram Reservoir, Scar House Reservoir and Gouthwaite Reservoir which attract around 150,000 visitors a year...
, which flows south through the dale, forming several reservoirs including the Gouthwaite Reservoir
Gouthwaite Reservoir
Gouthwaite Reservoir is a reservoir in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, England. It is one of many in the area, others include Roundhill Reservoir and Angram Reservoir.Gouthwaites sole purpose is a compensation reservoir for the River Nidd....
, before turning east and eventually joining the River Ouse
River Ouse, Yorkshire
The River Ouse is a river in North Yorkshire, England. The river is formed from the River Ure at Cuddy Shaw Reach near Linton-on-Ouse, about 6 miles downstream of the confluence of the River Swale with the River Ure...
.
The only town in the dale is Pateley Bridge
Pateley Bridge
Pateley Bridge is a small market town in Nidderdale in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, on the River Nidd.It has the oldest sweet shop in England and is the home of the Nidderdale Museum....
. Other settlements include Wath, Ramsgill
Ramsgill
Ramsgill is a small village in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, England about two miles south east of Lofthouse. It lies near Gouthwaite Reservoir. It is chiefly known for the Yorke Arms, a Michelin-starred restaurant on the village green....
, Lofthouse
Lofthouse, North Yorkshire
Lofthouse is a small village in Nidderdale in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England about a mile south of Middlesmoor. It has a primary school, memorial , post office-cum-shop and public house, The Crown Hotel....
, and Middlesmoor
Middlesmoor
Middlesmoor is a small hill village at the head of Nidderdale in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England.The place name was first mentioned in the 12th century. It probably means "moorland in the middle of two streams" referring to the River Nidd and its tributary How Stean Beck...
above Pateley Bridge, and Bewerley
Bewerley
Bewerley is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England, about twelve miles west of Ripon. The parish includes the urban area of Pateley Bridge west of the River Nidd , and the village of Greenhow, as well as Bewerley village...
, Glasshouses
Glasshouses
Glasshouses is a small village in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, England. It lies about 1 mile south east of Pateley Bridge on the east side of Nidderdale and has a recently rebuilt river bridge across the river Nidd....
, Summerbridge
Summerbridge, North Yorkshire
Summerbridge is a settlement in the Harrogate district North Yorkshire, England. It is on the River Nidd, about south east of Pateley Bridge....
, Hampsthwaite
Hampsthwaite
Hampsthwaite is a small commuter village on the south bank of the River Nidd on the western edge of the Victorian spa town of Harrogate.Administratively Hampsthwaite is a civil parish in the borough of Harrogate and the county of North Yorkshire, England....
, Birstwith
Birstwith
Birstwith is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is part of the Nidderdale, and is situated on the River Nidd. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 756....
, Darley
Darley, North Yorkshire
Darley is a straggling village in the middle of Nidderdale in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England which has won many local and national 'Britain in Bloom' awards.Its westernmost end is Darley Head.- External links :*****...
, Kettlesing and Felliscliffe
Felliscliffe
Felliscliffe is a civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, in Nidderdale, Harrogate borough. It is an ancient Nidderdale township, first mentioned in the Domesday Book as 'Fyle's gyffe', later, 'Felagh's cliff' from the Old Norse....
below Pateley.
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Nidderdale was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural BeautyArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
in 1994. In addition to Nidderdale itself (above Hampsthwaite), the AONB includes part of lower Wharfedale
Wharfedale
Wharfedale is one of the Yorkshire Dales in England. It is the valley of the River Wharfe. Towns and villages in Wharfedale include Buckden, Kettlewell, Conistone, Grassington, Hebden, Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Otley, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Arthington, Collingham, and Wetherby...
, the Washburn valley
River Washburn
The River Washburn is a river in Yorkshire, England. It originates high in the Yorkshire Dales and ends where it meets the River Wharfe. It lies within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-Course:...
and part of lower Wensleydale
Wensleydale
Wensleydale is the valley of the River Ure on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, England.Wensleydale lies in the Yorkshire Dales National Park – one of only a few valleys in the Dales not currently named after its principal river , but the older name, "Yoredale", can still be seen...
, including Jervaulx Abbey
Jervaulx Abbey
Jervaulx Abbey in East Witton near the city of Ripon, was one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire, England, founded in 1156. Initially a Savigniac foundation, the abbey was later taken over by the Cistercian order and responsibility for it was taken by Byland Abbey. Originally founded in...
and the side valleys west of the River Ure
River Ure
The River Ure is a river in North Yorkshire, England, approximately long from its source to the point where it changes name to the River Ouse. It is the principal river of Wensleydale, which is the only one of the Dales now named after a village rather than its river...
.
Local government
Nidderdale was historically in the West Riding of YorkshireWest Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
. Since 1974 it has fallen within the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire.
Transport
A Nidderdale Omnibus started operating on 1 August 1849 and ran between Pateley BridgePateley Bridge
Pateley Bridge is a small market town in Nidderdale in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, on the River Nidd.It has the oldest sweet shop in England and is the home of the Nidderdale Museum....
and Ripley
Ripley, North Yorkshire
Ripley is a village and civil parish in North Yorkshire in England, a few miles north of Harrogate on the A61 road towards Ripon.A castle dating from the 15th century, Ripley Castle, has been the home of the Ingilby family for 700 years. The present owner is Sir Thomas Ingilby, 6th Baronet , the...
Station. In 1862 the North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
opened the Nidd Valley Railway
Nidd Valley Railway
The Nidd Valley Railway was a 14 mile long single track branch railway line that ran along the valley of the River Nidd in North Yorkshire, England...
from Nidd Valley Junction near Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
to Pateley Bridge. Between 1907 and 1937 the Nidd Valley Light Railway
Nidd Valley Light Railway
The Nidd Valley Light Railway, was a light railway in upper Nidderdale in North Yorkshire, England. It was owned by Bradford Corporation Waterworks Department and the Corporation also operated its public passenger services...
served the dale above Pateley Bridge. The Pateley Bridge branch closed in 1964.
Nidderdale is now served by the buses of Harrogate & District
Harrogate & District
Transdev Harrogate & District is a local bus operator based in Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is part of the Blazefield Group which is itself owned by the international transport company Transdev....
.